Combined peg-lock and guard for musical instruments



Jan. 11, 1938.

W. F. HUTCHESON COMBINED PEG LOCK AND GUARD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed NOV. 25, 1936 Inventor ttorne Patented Jan. 11, 1938 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED PEG-LOCK AND GUARD FOR,

- NIUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Application November 25, 1936, Serial No. 112,692

1 Claim.

The invention relates to improvements in devices for retaining the strings of a musical instrument in tune, as described in the present specification and shown in the accompanying 5 drawing that forms part of the same.

The object of the invention is to produce an efllcient and reliable attachment for a guitar or other stringed instrument for the purpose of locking the pegs in set position in order to main- V) tain their adjustment when the strings are tuned to a given pitch.

A further object is to construct the attachment in the form of a guard to shield the pegs in the use and handling of the instrument.

A distinctive feature of the present invention is that it enables stringed instruments to be retained in tune irrespective of wear on the peg gearing.

The invention presents a further and important feature in that it eliminates objectionable interference resulting from rattling pegs as the instrument gives out deep vibrations, which rattling is attendant on wear of the peg gearing.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Fig- 3 ure 1 is a plan View of the invention applied to the pegs of a guitar.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the invention removed from the musical instrument.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures of the drawing of the invention.

In the drawing, a practical embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration as ap- :.r, plied to a guitar. The conventional neck of the guitar is depicted at 5 and the strings thereof at 6. The three strings of one side of the neck are as customary respectively wound on the spindles l, l and 'l; those of the other side are 4 wound on the spindles 8, 8 and 8".

The individual gearing of the spindles is denoted at 9. This gearing severally connects the pegs 50, iii and H3" at one side of the neck to the spindles i, l and l, and likewise connects the .7 pegs H, H and H" at the other side to the spindles 8, 3 and 8". As is well understood in the art, the pegs are thus individually turnable to regulate the tuning of the strings.

In carrying out the invention, a locking device is attached to the aligned pegs at one side of the neck and a similar locking device is attached to the aligned pegs at the other side thereof.

The locking device for the pegs ii), is and ill" comprises a clamp bar l2 and a guard plate l3. These members are co-extensively arranged parallel to the neck with the clamp bar disposed on the inner side of the depending pegs and the guard plate on the outer side of the pegs. The members are of a greater length than the overall distance between the pegs, and the guard plate is of a width to laterally protrude beyond the pegs so as to shield the same from striking an object in the handling of the musical instrument.

The members are preferably constructed of suitable metal although it is not proposed to limit the invention in this respect. The members are arranged to grip the aligned pegs about their shank portions adjoining the heads by which they are manually turned. To this end the opposing faces of the members are notched as at M so as to form recesses that embrace the peg shanks.

It is manifest that one of the members may be recessed to a greater degree than the other, or if so desired the recesses might be entirely confined to one of the members without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The two members are united by means suited to apply clamping pressure on the intervening peg-shanks. This is desirably accomplished by a longitudinal series of headed screws I having threaded engagement with the clamp bar and lodged in holes in the guard plate.

It is understood that other fastening elements may be substituted for screws if so desired.

It will be gathered that the clamping members bind the pegs against turning, and that said members are not otherwise attached to the musical instrument. To adjust the pegs the screws are merely slackened and again tightened when in the tuned condition of the instrument.

It will be noted that the clamping bar is much narrower than the guard plate, which plate imparts the necessary rigidity to the structure. The clamping bar may be thin enough to possess a certain amount of spring or flexure as to permit it to uniformly bind simultaneously on all three of the pegs.

The locking device for the pegs H, H and H" is identical to that just recounted. The clamping bar is denoted at it and the guard plate is denoted at it; while the screws are indicated at It. This duplicate locking device operates of course in the same manner as that already described.

What I claim is:

A peg-lock and guard for a stringed musical instrument having a plurality of spaced pegs mounted transversely at the side of the neck and geared to the spindles onwhich the strings are Wound; said bar spanning the pegs and extending inwardly of the shanks thereof oppositely to the guard plate, said clamping bar being of a flexible character to bind uniformly on the shanks, and a longitudinal series of headed screws extending through the guard plate and threadedly engaging the clamping bar.

WILLIAM FREDERICK HUTCHEST W 

